YAYA TOURE is facing the axe again for Manchester City’s top-of-the-table clash with Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday.

Toure was ‘exiled’ from the first-team squad by Pep Guariola in August following derogatory remarks made by his agent Dimitri Seluk about the Manchester City boss and the club’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain in a newspaper interview.

It was the final straw for City after a history of embarrassing outbursts by Seluk.

GETTY

Yaya Toure is facing the axe for Manchester City's clash with Chelsea

GETTY

Manchester City scored twice against Crystal Palace earlier this month

But after making a personal apology to Guardiola and losing some weight as his manager had demanded, Toure was restored to the squad and was included in the starting XI for the last two Premier League games.

He scored twice on his comeback in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace and then played a part in the victory by the same score at Burnley on Saturday.

GETTY

Ilkay Gundogan is set to start against Chelsea

Premier League stats: Most assists so far in 2016/17

Wed, November 30, 2016

Express Sport takes a look at the top assist kings in the Premier League so far this season

Who is the top assist king so far in the 2016/17 Premier League season?

But that is unlikely to be enough to prevent Toure, 33, from dropping to the bench for the Etihad showdown with Antonio Conte’s side because Guardiola is set to recall Ilkay Gundogan.

The German international, a £21million summer buy from Borussia Dortmund and regarded as Toure’s long-term replacement, was rested from Palace and Burnley games but is expected to be recalled to the last re-estabish Guardiola’s preferred midfield partnership with Fernandinho.